ECS: from the resin to the finished container without any interruption

SIPA has been designing and manufacturing integrated systems since 1986. The consolidated experience it has acquired and the high technological level it has reached make SIPA one of the world’s leading companies in this sector for medium-high volumes.SIPA integrated systems, the ECS range, starts from the raw material, the resin, and takes the process through to the finished container without any interruption, with total automated control of all phases of production. Costs associated to traditional two-step processes (such as preform handling, preform storage, preform cooling & reheating) are simply not part of the integrated process.

These systems are extremely versatile and can produce a wide range of standard and customized containers: lightweight bottles for standard or hot fill use, ultra clean or aseptic bottles, pasteurizable containers, warm filled bottles, wide mouth jars, round or square shaped bottles with capacities up to 30 liters, oval, asymmetric or tailor-made containers. A comprehensive, competitive range that makes ECS machines a sure answer to a wide variety of requirements.

MODEL

INJECTION CAV.

BLOWING CAV.

MAX SIZE (L)

MAX NECK DIAM.

MAX OUTPUT (B/HOUR)

ECS FX 20/80 EVO (150 T)

80

40

1.0

38

36,000

ECS FX 20/64 EVO (150 T)

64

32

2.0

48

28,800

ECS FX 20/48 EVO (150 T)

48

24

3.0

48 (53)

21,600

ECS FX 20/48 EVO WM (250 T)

48

24

3.0

73

13,500

ECS FX 20/40 EVO WM (250 T)

40

20

3.0

89

11,250

ECS FX 20/32 EVO WM (250 T)

32

16

3.0

110

9,000

Process steps: main features and advantages

Previously dehumidified PET granules are plasticized in the extruder using a screw specifically designed by SIPA. During the plasticization stage the material is melted, homogenized and slowly transported by the screw in order not to generate shear stress and consequently reduce the AA level and the IV drop to the minimum.

The extruder continuously plasticizes PET with a specially designed screw eliminating any back-flow of melted material. Thanks to the continuous extrusion, the average melting speed is decreased and results in a lower stress on the material and reduced production of AA.

Two wide range screws: 120 mm and 140 mm to improve flexibility in the number of injection mold cavities.

The melted material is injected into the mold by means of an optimized injection profile aimed at obtaining high quality preforms. Preform production cycle time depends on the geometrical shape and weight of the performs, which depends on the container to be produced.PET injection into the cavities, holding and cooling are performed by the shooting pot (one per each mold):this is NOT present in traditional one-step technology, where the extruder is also involved in preform injection. The advantages of having a separate plasticization/injection system are:

Screw is not oversized

More accurate shot control

Size plastizing to throughput and injection to shot volume

Other advantages:

Continuous control of injection and holding phases as a guarantee of repeatability and quality of the process.

New hydraulic buffer operated by a software is now available as standard for injection cycle completion in case of power cut-off thus allowing easier mold purge and scrap discharge after power cut-off.

Once the injection cycle has been completed, the preforms are picked up by a transport system to the next process phase. During handling, the preforms are held by collets that keep them in the correct position by putting only a very slight pressure on the neck. To prevent the thermal profile from being altered there is no contact with metal parts.

Preforms handling systems allow preforms to be transferred from injection to blowing molds without damages or possible contamination.

Preforms transfer system is activated by innovative brushless motors which guarantee smooth and reliable operation without maintenance requirement.

The conveyor system takes the preforms to the preform conditioning areas. These areas enable the ideal preform thermal profile for stretch-blowing phase. For different types of containers, different kinds of thermal treatment are available.

SIPA’s conditioning systems offer the highest flexibility in the range of containers to be produced: from standard bottles requiring a perfect stretching of the material below the neck, to heat set containers with extreme light-weight, to personalized conditioning of complex-shaped containers (off-centered neck, wide mouth), both for round or oval shapes requiring preferential heating.

The innovative electro-magnetic induction system particularly suited for ultra clean and aseptic processes.

The conditioned preforms reach the stretching-blow molding section: all stretching rods blowing time parameters are electronically controlled. They are blown in two phases, one with low air pressure (approx 10 bars) and one with high air pressure (25 to 40 bars). The blow mold can be heated if production involves hot fill bottle production.

The ECS stretch-blow molding systems allows a longer process time due to the integration with the preform injection process. This enables to stretch-blow mold higher quality containers.

The linear system of ECS platform guarantees a lower compressed air consumption (comparing same bottle size and machine output) reducing dead volumes.

The conveyor system takes the finished containers to the outfeed section. Containers can be outfed using gravity onto flat conveyors and sent to storage silos or taken on air pressure conveyors directly to the filling lines. If only preforms are produced special systems for pick up, cooling and outfeeding are available.

Applications

SIPA's ECS integrated systems can produced a wide range of containers for a large array of applications: from standard containers for mineral water and soft drinkt, to heat set or ultra-clean bottles for juices and RTD tea, from oval or asymmetrical containers for detergents and personal care to wide mouth jars for food and cosmetics applications.